Democrats Lack of Class was On Full Display During Trump’s Speech
During a speech in the midst of the 1970 midterm cycle, then-Vice President Spiro T. Agnew characterized politicians who criticized Nixon administration policies as “nattering nabobs of negativism.”
That phrase came to mind as I watched the Democrats’ disgraceful behavior throughout President Donald Trump’s address to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday night.
The disruptions began right out of the gate. Most notably, accompanied by a loud chorus of boos and jeers from his colleagues intended to drown out Trump’s voice, Democratic Rep. Al Green (TX) stood up, raised his cane toward the podium and began shouting.
House Speaker Mike Johnson was forced to interrupt the speech, saying, “Members are engaging in willful and continuing breach of decorum, and the chair is prepared to direct the sergeant at arms to restore order to the joint session. … Mr. Green, take your seat.”
Democrats ignored Johnson until he ordered the House sergeant at arms to remove Green from the chamber.
Green’s hatred for the president is well-documented. During Trump’s first term, Green filed articles of impeachment against him three times. And two weeks into Trump’s new administration, he filed new impeachment articles over what he called “ethnic cleansing in Gaza.”
Green’s removal seemed to quell the raucousness, but the Democrats found other ways to express their utter contempt for the President. Perhaps the most egregious was their refusal to acknowledge the everyday heroes Trump introduced throughout the speech.
In one of the most poignant moments of the night, Trump recognized D.J. Daniel, a 13-year old boy who was once diagnosed with brain cancer and given five months to live. He is now cancer-free and dreams of becoming a police officer. Trump granted his wish. U.S. Secret Service Director Sean Curran made him an honorary agent during the speech. The boy was over the moon with happiness.
The Democrats, however, were unmoved.
Trump introduced Jason Hartley, a hardworking high school senior (with a 4.5 GPA) whose father, an L.A. county sheriff’s deputy, was killed in the line of duty when he was a boy. His dream is to attend the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and one day continue his father’s service to the country. Trump told Hartley, “I’m pleased to inform you that your application has been accepted.”
Anyone who’s ever tried to get into a service academy or has gone through the rigorous admissions process with a child knows what a thrilling, emotional moment this is. The Democrats sat on their hands.
Democrats remained silent even when Trump introduced the grieving mother and sister of Laken Riley, a University of Georgia nursing student who was brutally murdered by an illegal immigrant one year ago.
Hot Air’s David Strom compiled a list of all of the moments the Democrats chose to ignore:
- The capturing of an ISIS terrorist that masterminded the Abbey Gate attack
- A young boy fighting brain cancer
- A call to lower taxes for middle-class Americans
- Americans joining the military in record numbers
- Law and order
- Taking down illegal revenge porn
- Protecting women’s sports
- The United States of America
- Working together to Make America Great Again
- Ending the harmful electric vehicle mandate
- Cutting regulations to unleash American prosperity
- Ending censorship and bringing back free speech
- Ending discriminatory “diversity, equity, and inclusion”
- Recognizing only two sexes
- Defeating inflation
- Unleashing American energy
- Ending waste, fraud, and abuse in government
- Ending taxes on tips, overtime, and seniors’ Social Security
- Bringing manufacturing home to America
- Securing historic investments in American chip manufacturing
- Removing illegal alien killers, rapists, and drug dealers from our streets
- Securing our border
- Declaring the brutal Tren de Aragua gang as a Foreign Terrorist Organization
- Waging war on the deadly cartels trafficking deadly drugs into our country
- Punishing cop killers with the death penalty
- Promoting health and wellness among Americans
- Protecting our kids from radical gender ideology
- Ending the sexual mutilation of America’s youth
- The return of American Marc Fogel
- Declaring America’s youth are perfect as God made them
- Ending wokeness in the U.S. military
- Restoring American shipbuilding
- A student getting accepted to West Point
- Improving America’s defenses
- Pursuing peace in Ukraine
Trump’s address was well-received, patriotic and uplifting. A CBS News/YouGov snap poll found that, of those who watched Trump’s speech, 76% approved, while only 23% disapproved. Granted, Republicans were more apt to watch it than Democrats, but that is still an impressive result.
After the Democrats’ first interruption, Trump accurately noted, “This is my fifth such speech to Congress, and once again, I look at the Democrats in front of me, and I realize there is absolutely nothing I can say to make them happy or to make them stand or smile or applaud, nothing I can do. I could find a cure to the most devastating disease, a disease that would wipe out entire nations, or announce the answers to the greatest economy in history or the stoppage of crime to the lowest levels ever recorded, and these people sitting right here will not clap, will not stand and certainly will not cheer for these astronomical achievements. They won’t do it no matter what, five, five times I’ve been up here. It’s very sad, and it just shouldn’t be this way.”
The Democrats did themselves no favors and likely diminished their already tarnished party brand. From their disruptions and unwillingness to participate in even the feel-good, bipartisan moments of the night to the childish messages of “False” and “Musk Steals” on either side of the paddles they carried, they showed themselves to be petty, mean-spirited, and even un-American. They simply lack class, and it was on full display last night.
Elizabeth writes commentary for The Washington Examiner. She is an academy fellow at The Heritage Foundation and a member of the Editorial Board at The Sixteenth Council, a London think tank. Please follow Elizabeth on X or LinkedIn.
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